In an effort to make meal planning even easier for those of you in my challenge group, I’m creating free printables! Click the link below to download the grocery list PDF. View other posts to download the meal planning template and the 21 Day Fix Tips list. Planning your meals will help weeknights go much smoother as well as save you money. Enjoy!

P.S. If you join my challenge group, you will have access to printables specific to your calorie range!

Click here to order 21 Day Fix or 21 Day Fix Extreme. Message me if you have any questions at all and I will answer them for you! If you have questions about other programs or my personal thoughts, feel free to reach out.

You may wonder what’s different about the 21 Day Fix than other eating plans out there – it’s the WORKOUTS and the MOTIVATION GROUPS! I love the workouts. I’m starting the 21 Day Fix extreme workouts – you can learn more about them here.

Success on the 21 Day Fix

The 21 Day Fix is a great way to learn proper portion sizes and what you should be eating. I remember in high school when it was the Basic Four Food Groups. I would eat almost an entire loaf of bread in one day because I thought that was good for me. Crazy, right? Now I know better:) And even though I know better, I still need help getting the right portions. Just this weekend, I visited my grandmother in the hospital and it was really difficult eating healthy but I always have the portion-control containers in my mind, so that helps. Green = vegetables. Okay, I can get vegetable soup in the hospital cafeteria. Purple = fruit, that means I can get a serving of fresh-cut fruit. Yellow = quinoa and in the 21 day fix, I learned that quinoa is a healthier choice than white rice. I am a firm believer in progress, not perfection. I hope the tips below will help you on your journey:) Please send me a message if they do!

July 14 – Today’s the day Autumn’s new cookbook gets released! If you love 21 Day Fix or 21 Day Fix Extreme, you know how satisfying it is to stay on track with healthy eating. The new Fixate cookbook introduces 101 new recipes to help keep that momentum.

Get your pots, pans, and kitchen essentials ready, because we’re debuting Autumn Calabrese’s 21 Day Fix-based cookbook, FIXATE, this summer! This all-new cookbook takes Autumn’s simple color-coded container portion control system and applies it to 101 of her favorite family recipes. Each FIXATE recipe lists color-coded container equivalents and nutrition facts. Plus, FIXATE includes Paleo, gluten-free, vegan, and vegetarian recipes along with Autumn’s personal tips for preparing meals quickly, and stocking your kitchen with absolute must-haves.

Another Fix workout that I love! I’m not just saying it because Autumn does, I really do love leg day:) What’s so great about this workout? It’s quick and tough – In only 30 minutes, I get 4 rounds of tough exercises, two exercises in each round and then repeated. There is always a strength exercise followed by an explosive exercise that either challenges my balance or gets my heartrate up.

Some of my favorite moves:

The weighted side lunge followed by a side leg lift – this works the sides of the glutes and legs, which is why it’s one of my favorites.

Single leg squat followed by a single leg squat jump – this is one of my favorites because it is SO HARD! I see it as a challenge. At the end of the 21 days, hopefully I will be able to jump the entire time:) AND it works my balance and core – BONUS!

The back lunge and tap forward followed by a plyo lunge. Another TOUGHIE – this one wrecks me but I love it. I know I’m going to see results!

For me, the benefits of this workout are knowing that it’s working on my balance and power in addition to strength and this combination will definitely help me be more adept at hiking on crazy terrain.

21 Day Fix Extreme Dirty 30 Extreme – WHEW! This one works everything! I love how it’s cardio, lower body, upper body & core. Not only that, the exercises challenge your balance and my favorites work my postural muscles. I work at a computer, so this is always something I need to work on.

Autumn begins by reminding us “Don’t stop when you’re tired, stop when you’re done.” So, I keep reminding myself of this during the especially tough exercises!

3 rounds, 2 exercises in each round, then repeat – each exercise is a minute with a ten second break

Round 1

Curtsy lunge with a half-moon – The half moon part is holding light weights (I only use 3 lbs) and arcing them up and over your head (palms facing forward) This is one of my favorites, not because it’s easy because it’s not — it’s HARD — but because it is great for upper back and rear delt work. It really hones in on those postural muscles.

Squat with shoulder press. I used 5 lbs. Straightforward exercise so really allows you to focus on your glutes.

Repeat

Round 2

Pushup with renegade row – pushup using weights and then you row the weights. I didn’t use any weights and it’s STILL a challenge! Kudos to whoever can use weights here.

Side lunge w/ sword pull – – I use 3 lbs. I feel like I’ll be able to increase my weights on this exercise by the end of the 21 days. The lunge works the glute and the pull works the shoulder and upper back.

Repeat

Round 3

Single leg squat with upright row – The neat thing about this exercise (and the next one ) is that they really work your balance. Standing on one leg for the squat is a good challenge.

Lunge forward and row followed by pressing of front leg, balancing & raising your knee and doing a hammer curl

Repeat

BONUS

Plank crunch… WHAT?!?! This is really works your core! You’re supposed to do all the reps on one side and then move to the next side. I wasn’t paying attention and I alternated – which is probably the only way I made it through anyway! Honestly, I took a few breaks. Something I have the opportunity to work on. And thankfully, I have the good health to do so!

Cooldown

Why do I like Dirty 30 Extreme so much? It hits all your muscles and gets your heartrate up in a quick 30 minute workout. For days that I have more time, this would pair nicely with Upper Fix extreme and I can see this being a great go-to weekend workout.

Autumn opens this workout with the quote “Now’s your chance to change your life.” I almost skipped my workout today because it was a long day at work, I had to cook dinner, etc. I was looking for an excuse. But then I remembered the goals that I’m working on in one of my challenge groups. It’s only 30 minutes and I didn’t want to let myself down because it really is the choices that we make every day that add up over time. So, I completed the workout! And it was hard but it was fun and afterwards, I was glad that I had done it!

This workout consists of 5 rounds with two exercises in each round. It’s all leg power and really gets your heart rate up there. There’s some sneaky ab work in there too:)

Warmup

Round 1

Weighted squat jump – I used 8 lbs

Split squat jump – I used 5 lbs.

Repeat

Round 2

Single leg squat jump – I used 5 lbs. You complete all your squat jumps on the right side and then move to the left side. These are TOUGH!

Sumo squat jump – narrow to wide plié with a single weight

Repeat

Round 3

Burpees with tuck jump – another toughie! I made it through them all – slower than the group, I admit – but I got ’em done!

Square jump – Jump in a square Forward-Right-Back-Left. On the second round, change direction and go Forward-Left-Back-Right

Repeat

Round 4

Weighted skaters – I usually love these, I just wasn’t feeling very coordinated tonight.

Calf jumps – tonight these were my favorite, just felt like I needed a little extra calf work

Repeat

Round 5

Squat thrusts – Plank position and jump center, then back, right, then back, left, then back – lots of core work!

Sumo squat with lateral hop and bicep curl – I always need to remind myself to go lower in the squat so it’s a good thing Autumn shows proper form before starting this one!

Repeat

Bonus round – I admit, I modified this one. It’s a Crossover to parallel squat jump. I did everything but the jump part. I love the modifier gal in these workouts. She does a great job of showing humor (!) and tough, but do-able modifications.

Overall – Plyo Fix Extreme is one of my favorites in this series. I like how explosive the moves are – I always feel like my legs are in better shape after doing this one. And I feel ready for anything!

I love how this workout combines weighted exercises with cardio intervals. There are 4 rounds of two weighted exercises, followed by a cardio interval and then the round is repeated before moving on to the next round. Loved how it got my heart rate up. I did modify quite a it throughout but I’m going to blame it on the hike I just took my dog on at our local state park! I like how the core was really incorporated in all of these workouts.

Warmup

Round 1

1. Low to high squat – Using one weight, combining a squat and a hop to the side while lifting the weight overhead

2. High plank with butt kick – you’re supposed to “run” but I had to modify:) WOW! This is fantastic for core strength.

3. Cardio: Run in place.

4. Repeat

Round 2

1. Jumping jack with shoulder press

2. Back lunge with front kick – this is great for a balance challenge. I used 5 lb weights but I could probably use 8 lbs next time because the pace is slow enough.

I’m using the 21DFX workouts to get ready for hiking that I plan on doing this summer. Upper Fix Extreme definitely fits the bill for carrying around a day pack or back pack comfortably.

The workout uses the technique of dropsets – which in this case, you perform an exercise for 30 seconds using a heavy weight, then drop down to a lighter weight to complete another 30 seconds. Drop sets are good for increasing your muscle endurance because you get to the point of muscle failure and then continue to push yourself.

Here’s a rundown of the workout:

Warmup – these are the same exercises in each workout of the set, which is fine with me because they get the job done and I’m not the most coordinated person ever, so I know what’s coming!

Round 1

Pushups (30 seconds regular, 30 seconds only going halfway down). So, I have to be honest – I had to go to my knees by the end of the first 30 seconds. Hope to change that!

Lunge with wide row – I love lunges so this was a fun one. You stay in lunge position so you can really work your back.

Chest flies – these go at a quick pace and I used 8 & 5 lbs. but I think I could go up to 10 & 8 lb weights next time

Lat band pull – using a resistance band. I ADORE this exercise. During the work week, I sit at a desk all day so this exercise is amazing at working the upper back muscles that encourage good posture:)

Round 2

Military Press – This was HARD! I had to sneak some little breaks in – I started out with 8 lbs, but now that I know better, I might have to use 5 lbs. However, I know it’s working and it’s going to improve my shoulder strength and for that, I can’t wait!

Twisted abs holding weight and doing leg extension

Rear delt pull with band 30 seconds, then rear delt hold with band – I was shaking by the end:)

Dolphin pose

Round 3

Hammer Curls

Triceps dip 30 seconds, then triceps dip with leg extended

Plie with concentration curl – WHEW! Holding that plie is a good challenge:)

Triceps Kickback

Cooldown

I really loved this workout. I think it’s fun, it’s attainable but definitely a challenge and room for growth and I feel like it’s a good overall workout. I like that Autumn works the back and upper back, really targeting those postural muscles. I think it’s important that she incorporates core as well. This DVD will really get me in shape for carrying a daypack or backpack on any trails this summer!

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Learn about me

Hi - I'm Kia! My journey into health and fitness started naturally. I grew up on a farm, so was used to always being active. I loved helping my dad out in the field or in the barn with the animals. My grandmother had a large garden, so we always ate healthy foods. As I moved away and went to college, I started eating poorly with more convenience foods and fewer whole foods. Now, I'm in my 40s - I stay active with workout programs such as the 21 Day Fix and I eat a healthy diet, with a daily superfood shake(ology) and feel like I am in great shape for my age. My husband and I again live out in the country and keep busy with our animals and garden. It keeps us young! This is more and more important to me as I see family members who I love dearly, lose their independence and mobility as they age. I realize that it's up to me to do everything that I can to lay the foundation for my own independence and mobility as I reach that age. I hope you join me on this journey!